Roller-skate



(No Model.)

OLHUGKINS 8: G. N. PARKER.

ROLLER SKATE.

No 296,571 Patented Apr. 8,1884.

FlG.1.

Fries.

CHARLES HUCKINS AND GEORGE N. PARKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROLLER- SKATE.

SPBCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,571, dated April 8. 1884.

' Application filed J we 25, 1883. (No model.)

To alltuhom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES Huonrns and GEORGE N. PA RKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Roller-Skates, of which the following is a specification.

In the use of roller-skates it is very essen tial that aspring or yielding material be placed between the plate or stock that supports the foot and the bearings of the rollers, in order to admit of a lateral yielding of the said plate or stock, while in use. For this purpose india-rubber has been mostly employed; but agreat objection to this consists in its liability ,to become smeared with the oil used to lubricate the bearings of the roller-axles, thus rendering the rubber useless, and necessitating its removal. and substitution of a new piece of rubber before it is worn out.

It is the object of our invention to obviate this objection; and to that end the invention consists in confining the rubber in a socket or casing, so as to prevent any liability of the oil coming in contact with the rubber, and at the same time admitting of a more advantageous yielding lateral movement of the skate plate or stock.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a roller'skat'e embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the hanger with our socket and the inclosed rubber. Fig. 3 is a section on the line a: m of Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 rep resent the rubber used in our socket or case; and Fig. 7 is the metal socket or casing.

A, Fig. 1, is the foot-support consisting of a metal plate.

B B are re-eni'orce plates on the under side of the plate A, and (l O are the hangers.

a is a stud, of which there are two, to which the toe-clamps are attached; and bis a stud or catch which enters a slot in aplate attached to the boot or shoe of the skater, for securing the skate to the heel of theshoe.

When the foot-piece A is of metal plate, the-said parts may be cast or made all in one piece; but when the foot-piece is of wood, the plate 13 is secured by screws or rivets to the under sideof said. foot-piece.

D is a socket or casing of the form shown in Fig. 7, and F is a strip of india-rubber cut out or molded in the form shown in Fig. 4.. The rubber F is bent, as shown in Fig. 5, and inserted in the socket D, and the hanger O is placed in the fold of the rubber, as shown in Fig. 3, when it is secured by a bolt, G, pass: ing through a holenear the end of the hanger, and through the sides of the socket D, and held by a split pin, g, or otherwise secured.

To the lower end of the socket D is attached the bearing E, through which the axles of the rollers pass.

By means of the above-described construction we secure the most eflicacious and desirable lateral yielding motion for the skate on the foot.

Should it be desirable to increase the de gree of'fiexibility of the yielding device, we place an additional piece of rubber, f, in the bend of the rubber F, as seen in Fig. 3. This is to enable the skater to make a shorter turn on the skates when practicing fancy skatmg.

In case it becomes necessary to remove the rubber F and. replace it by another piece, we have only to take out the pin when the socket D is readily removed.

By casting or making the plate A, the reenforce B B, the hanger G, and stud a all in one piece we do away with all rivet-s on the plate, and thus present a smooth oven surface.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. In a roller-skate, the socket or casing D, open only at the top, and containing the elastic material F, in combination with the hanger 0 and foot-plate A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the foot-plate A, the plate B, hanger G, socket D, and inclosed elastic material F, secured to the hanger by a bolt, G, and the axle-bearing E, forming a part of the socket F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HUCKINS. GEORGE N. PARKER.

\Vit-nesscs:

J. H. ADAMS, E. PLANTA. 

